Talkback Classroom
Encyclopedia
Talkback Classroom is best known as a forum for young people to interview
politician
s and other leading decision makers in forums recorded for broadcast and is also known as a Voice for the Voteless on the basis of its mission to provide an opportunity for young people to take part in civic dialogue. The started as a classroom based project instigated by Alexandra Secondary School teacher Stephen Cutting in 1995 and provided an opportunity for secondary school students to conduct interviews (initially by telephone) with people in the news. The activity proved very popular with students and in 1996 was first heard as a segment on ABC Regional Radio Albury Wodonga via a three way 'hook up' between students in the classroom, the segment guest or interviewee and the radio program host. In 1997 the project became a national forum a monthly for senior secondary school students broadcast on ABC
youth network Triple J produced by Stephen Cutting who had taken up a secondment to ABC Radio. Talkback Classroom ran as a regular segment featuring interviews recorded by student interviewers with leading political figures in Australian politics and other decision makers until 2001 when the segment became a live forum based at the National Museum of Australia and shifted to Radio National
as part of the Life Matters program and ABC's digital network Fly TV. From 2001 to 2008 the forum was held at the National Museum of Australia
, and involved secondary school
students from around Australia interviewing various prominent politicians, business and community leaders on current affairs
issues. Guests included two heads of government: John Howard
(Australia) and Helen Clark
(New Zealand
), ministers and shadow ministers and many other decision makers and opinion shapers
the project developed an international profile with three panellists from Australia and three from another country interviewing a guest via video link. Talkback Classroom forums ran in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution
in the United States
, and in 2005 worked with the United Nations
when Shashi Tharoor
, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, was interviewed from United Nations headquarters
. In June 2006, the first international forum featuring all students interviewing in a country other than Australia included two Australians working with two students from South Korea
in Seoul
; the guest was Chung-in Moon, a Professor of Political Science at Yonsei University
.
In 2007 students from Korea visited Australia to join two Australian to undertake an investigation into issues pertaining to the theme of Energy. The students then recorded an interview with the then Foreign Minister Alexander Downer
. The student investigation and subsequent interview with Downer was the subject of a one hour documentary broadcast on Korean television network EBS.
Through the international forums project founder Stephen Cutting and National Museum Education Manager developed a pedagogical model referred to as the Learning Journey whereby participating students were 'immersed' in an investigation for each forum and took part in an intensive program of interviews and activities with experts and other people connected with the theme with the object of ensuring that students were knowledgeable and passionate about issues they would raise at the forum which represented the culmination of each international project.
After losing the forum venue and major sponsor - the National Museum - project founder Stephen Cutting approached the National Press Club of Australia
to host the forum. In March 2009 the Press Club hosted the Australia Japan forum featuring a panel of Australian and Japanese students interviewing the Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and the Japanese Ambassador Taka-aki Kojima. The Australia Japan forum represented the first Talkback Classroom Learning Journey to take students to both countries as they investigated Australia/Japan relations. The forum was funded by the Australia Japan Foundation. In 2010 the project was taken up in Malaysia when a joint Australian/Malaysian student team took part in an investigation into the theme of Education in Malaysia and took part at a forum hosted by the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. In the same year project founder Stephen Cutting introduced the project to students in Thailand and conducted a one week professional development workshop around ways to engage students in the classroom based on the pedagogy of Talkback Classroom. In 2012 students in Thailand and Australia will team up to conduct an investigation into 'popular culture' in Australia and Thailand and take part in a forum involving students in Melbourne at Coburg Senior High school and Nonthaburi school in Bangkok.
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s and other leading decision makers in forums recorded for broadcast and is also known as a Voice for the Voteless on the basis of its mission to provide an opportunity for young people to take part in civic dialogue. The started as a classroom based project instigated by Alexandra Secondary School teacher Stephen Cutting in 1995 and provided an opportunity for secondary school students to conduct interviews (initially by telephone) with people in the news. The activity proved very popular with students and in 1996 was first heard as a segment on ABC Regional Radio Albury Wodonga via a three way 'hook up' between students in the classroom, the segment guest or interviewee and the radio program host. In 1997 the project became a national forum a monthly for senior secondary school students broadcast on ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
youth network Triple J produced by Stephen Cutting who had taken up a secondment to ABC Radio. Talkback Classroom ran as a regular segment featuring interviews recorded by student interviewers with leading political figures in Australian politics and other decision makers until 2001 when the segment became a live forum based at the National Museum of Australia and shifted to Radio National
Radio National
ABC Radio National is an Australia-wide non-commercial radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Radio National broadcasts national programming in areas that include news and current affairs, the arts, social issues, science, drama and comedy...
as part of the Life Matters program and ABC's digital network Fly TV. From 2001 to 2008 the forum was held at the National Museum of Australia
National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. The National Museum preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation....
, and involved secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
students from around Australia interviewing various prominent politicians, business and community leaders on current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
issues. Guests included two heads of government: John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
(Australia) and Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
(New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
), ministers and shadow ministers and many other decision makers and opinion shapers
International forums
During the seven years the forum ran at the National Museum of AustraliaNational Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia was formally established by the National Museum of Australia Act 1980. The National Museum preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation....
the project developed an international profile with three panellists from Australia and three from another country interviewing a guest via video link. Talkback Classroom forums ran in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and in 2005 worked with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
when Shashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor is an Indian politician and a Member of Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala...
, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, was interviewed from United Nations headquarters
United Nations headquarters
The headquarters of the United Nations is a complex in New York City. The complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River...
. In June 2006, the first international forum featuring all students interviewing in a country other than Australia included two Australians working with two students from South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
; the guest was Chung-in Moon, a Professor of Political Science at Yonsei University
Yonsei University
Yonsei University is a Christian private research university, located in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1885, it is one of the oldest universities in South Korea, the top private comprehensive universities in South Korea, and is widely regarded as one of the top three comprehensive...
.
In 2007 students from Korea visited Australia to join two Australian to undertake an investigation into issues pertaining to the theme of Energy. The students then recorded an interview with the then Foreign Minister Alexander Downer
Alexander Downer
Alexander John Gosse Downer is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from March 1996 to December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history...
. The student investigation and subsequent interview with Downer was the subject of a one hour documentary broadcast on Korean television network EBS.
Through the international forums project founder Stephen Cutting and National Museum Education Manager developed a pedagogical model referred to as the Learning Journey whereby participating students were 'immersed' in an investigation for each forum and took part in an intensive program of interviews and activities with experts and other people connected with the theme with the object of ensuring that students were knowledgeable and passionate about issues they would raise at the forum which represented the culmination of each international project.
After losing the forum venue and major sponsor - the National Museum - project founder Stephen Cutting approached the National Press Club of Australia
National Press Club (Australia)
The National Press Club is an association of primarily news journalists, but also includes academics, business people and members of the public service, and is based in Canberra, Australia. It was founded in the 1960s as the National Press Luncheon Club by a few journalists with the backing of the...
to host the forum. In March 2009 the Press Club hosted the Australia Japan forum featuring a panel of Australian and Japanese students interviewing the Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and the Japanese Ambassador Taka-aki Kojima. The Australia Japan forum represented the first Talkback Classroom Learning Journey to take students to both countries as they investigated Australia/Japan relations. The forum was funded by the Australia Japan Foundation. In 2010 the project was taken up in Malaysia when a joint Australian/Malaysian student team took part in an investigation into the theme of Education in Malaysia and took part at a forum hosted by the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. In the same year project founder Stephen Cutting introduced the project to students in Thailand and conducted a one week professional development workshop around ways to engage students in the classroom based on the pedagogy of Talkback Classroom. In 2012 students in Thailand and Australia will team up to conduct an investigation into 'popular culture' in Australia and Thailand and take part in a forum involving students in Melbourne at Coburg Senior High school and Nonthaburi school in Bangkok.
External links
- Classroom online
- Parliamentary Education Office programs - Parliamentary Education OfficeParliament House, CanberraParliament House is the meeting facility of the Parliament of Australia located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. The building was designed by Mitchell/Giurgola Architects and opened on 1988 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia...
page - UN Works |Talkback Classroom - United Nations page on 2005 Shashi Tharoor forum.
- Bishop Wrong-Footed by a Class Act - The Age article on Julie Bishop forum